Instant Coffee Production Process

Vietnamese Coffee Exporter
Instant Coffee Production Process

Instant Coffee Production Process: Processing instant coffee is a process that is still unfamiliar to people who are used to using filter coffee. The article also helps people understand that instant coffee is an advancement of processing technology and many other things, especially the enjoyment of a beverage product that ensures food safety and hygiene.

Do you really know about Instant coffee powder?

Instant coffee, often known as instant coffee, is a powdered coffee mixed with other ingredients to get the “flavor” that the manufacturer thinks to be ideal and satisfy the vast majority of customers’ preferences. Roasting, grinding, and drying procedures create instant coffee products.

Instant Coffee Production Process

The fundamental raw ingredient for instant coffee is roasted coffee that has been processed into a powder.

Depending on the manufacturer’s components, this material is used as a base for 2in1 coffee blends, 3in1 coffee blends, or 4in1 coffee blends. 3in1 instant coffee, for example, is often made up of three primary ingredients: instant coffee powder, sugar, and cream of milk.

Instant coffee is a lot easier to make than conventional roasted coffee. The coffee bags are packed in a specific number of bags. Pour instant coffee powder into a cup, add boiling water, and swirl until the coffee powder is dissolved, then drink. Instant coffee has been widely drunk worldwide since its introduction in the 1950s.

So, how complicated is the instant coffee manufacturing process, and what phases does it entail?

Instant coffee production: How can we make instant coffee?

Instant coffee is extremely vulnerable to volatile oxidation and flavor release. As a result, the considerations on green coffee beans staling previously made for whole and ground roasted coffee apply equally to instant coffee.

Indeed, the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere in contact with the product determines the rate of oxidative reaction during storage. As a result, its concentration should be reduced as much as possible in order to extend the product’s shelf life. Light exposure, which is well known to promote oxidative reactions, is subject to similar considerations.

Furthermore, because instant coffee is hygroscopic, it is susceptible to the action of moisture, which, as previously stated, affects volatile liquid partition.

An increase in moisture content to 7%–8% is said to be responsible for instant coffee “caking,” or the transformation of flowing powders or granules into a pastry or solid mass (Clarke, 2001). According to the literature, instant coffee retains its original quality for years if the moisture content is kept below 4%–5% w/w.

Changes in headspace volatiles determined by instrumental analysis or sensory analysis are expected to be optimal indicators to monitor the quality depletion of instant coffee during storage based on these main alternative events.

Unfortunately, there is little literature on this topic, and no specific gas-chromatographic indices are proposed to monitor the quality depletion of instant coffee during storage. On the other hand, physical changes associated with moisture uptake during storage can be followed by direct measurement of water content or by assessing the product’s water activity.

Simultaneously, physical changes in the instant coffee particles (e.g., flowability, stickiness) can be used as indicators of a product failure during storage.

Details about manufacturing instant coffee (flexible aroma recovery & low-impact thermal concentration)

Green coffee roasting and grinding

This is the first stage in the process of making instant coffee. According to worldwide standards, each batch of coffee must be roasted within 18 to 25 minutes.

The natural flavor of the coffee is kept to a greater extent as roasting technology advances. After roasting, the beans must be ripe from the inside, with no edge burn, bloom uniformly, no calluses, and all colors. The coffee must be pounded into a fine powder after being roasted.

Extraction

This stage in the instant coffee production process gathers the soluble substances in the roasted coffee powder into the water. A temperature-insulated coffee powder storage tower serves as the extraction apparatus. Before injecting water into the extraction, manufacturers might moisten the coffee powder using saturated steam.

Hot water will be injected into the tower from the bottom, passing through a column of roasted coffee powder.

The water used for extraction must be between 80 and 90 degrees Celsius. The water will extract even harmful compounds at higher temperatures.

The extraction of solutes occurs here. At the very top of the tower, the coffee solution is collected. The extraction was repeated numerous times to restrict the amount of fine powder dissolved thoroughly into the water during extraction. The amount of solute in the extract will increase through the coffee powder storage towers. The extracted coffee solution can have a concentration of 20-22%.

Concentration

We acquire a coffee solution with a concentration of 20-22 percent during the extraction stage of the instant coffee production process. We can’t dry it yet because of the attention. We need to concentrate the extract to a 30-33 percent concentration. This is the appropriate setting for a smooth drying operation.

Vacuum concentration is the most prevalent method of concentration. The coffee solution is injected into a heating unit at this moment. Under the effect of temperature, water will evaporate. The steam will be absorbed by the vacuum formed by the barometer and condensed at the condenser. The concentration procedure will end after the coffee solution has reached the desired concentration.

Allowing the coffee solution to dry

The concentrated coffee solution is turned into a powder during this stage. Spray drying is the technique used. The coffee solution is pumped into the cyclo’s top at this moment.

Instant Coffee Production Process

The coffee solution enters the cyclo in the form of a mist as a disc perforated with many small holes rotates at high speed. Hot, dry air is forced into the cyclo to dry them.

The bottom of the cyclo collects instant coffee powder. Powdered coffee has a moisture content of 1-2 percent after drying and is dark brown in hue.

“The Low-Impact Thermal Concentration process uses low temperature (thus “low impact”) thermal concentration. The process uses a short-path Rototherm evaporator, requiring the product only for a couple of minutes to be at processing temperature. Secondly, the Low Impact Thermal Concentration uses aroma recovery and aroma separation to enhance the taste profile exactly to the customer’s requirements. “- tecsq.com

Technology for repatriation

Because the extraction and spray drying processes might lose a lot of the natural coffee aroma, the aroma is restored after grinding. After getting the instant coffee powder, the producer uses repatriation technology to ensure that the completed instant coffee retains its natural scent.

“TEC Square Aroma recovery plants provide flexibility in aroma recovery. Aromas need to be separated or combined, as may be the case, in order to get the perfect taste profile for your product. This is the objective of a successful design.” (flexible aroma recovery by Tec square designs – tecsq.com)

Specialized apparatus and equipment are used in producing instant coffee. The better the technology, the better the resulting soluble coffee will taste.

Vietnam is consistently ranked among the world’s top coffee exporters. However, the majority of its exports are raw coffee. This creates a new potential for venture capitalists to invest in high-quality instant coffee production plants.

Instant coffee beverages and instant coffee products

Instant coffee is a coffee drink that dissolves in water. It’s made from brewed coffee that’s been powdered by extracting the liquid from the coffee bean.

This can be accomplished in one of two ways: spray drying or freeze-drying. When instant coffee granules are mixed with water, they dissolve quickly and produced a delicious cup of coffee. Contrary to popular belief, instant coffee is made entirely of coffee beans.

John Dring invented the first instant coffee in 1771 in England and patented by the British Government as a “coffee compound,” according to the Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink. There is no documentation of his product’s success or even how he made it back then.

The concentrated extract of roasted coffee beans is freeze-dried and spray-dried to produce instant coffee. After brewing, the water in the extract is evaporated and frozen to produce dry granules or powder. When combined with boiling water, these granules remain solid at room temperature and dissolve.

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